Individuals Indicted In North Adams Shooting and Clarksburg Homicide

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A grand jury returned indictments related to a shooting in North Adams on Feb. 19, which injured two people, and a murder in Clarksburg on Feb. 23.
 
Paul Starbird and Keith Larrabee, both of North Adams, were indicted in the shooting. Starbird, 20, and Larrabee, 27, are currently being held without the right to bail on District Court charges. The court arraigned Larrabee on Thursday and will arraign Starbird on June 29.
 
Starbird is facing two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and single counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, illegal possession of a firearm, and illegal possession of a loaded firearm. Larrabee is facing two counts of armed assault with intent to murder and single counts of assault and battery, illegal possession of a firearm, illegal possession of a loaded firearm, and assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
 
North Adams Police responded to Key West Lounge on State Street at approximately 1:24 that morning for a reported shooting. Police assisted two victims suffering from gunshot wounds and Northern Berkshire EMS transported the victims to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield. Starbird and Larrabee were arrested in the following days with aid of state and local law enforcement.
 
William Gingerich was also indicted on charges related to the murder of Dennis Bernardi. The 27-year-old Gingerich faces charges of murder, kidnapping, assault and battery, and larceny of a motor vehicle.
 
Gingerich is also currently detained without the right to bail. Superior Court is expected to arraign Gingerich on June 30.
 
Clarksburg and North Adams Police responded to a Clarksburg address on Feb. 23 for a well-being check and discovered Bernardi, 71, deceased. 
 
Authorities in Lewiston, N.Y., arrested Gingerich the following evening on an arrest warrant obtained by the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit. 

 


Tags: district attorney,   homicide,   shooting,   

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Clarksburg Board Suspends Police Operations With Chief's Retirement

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday voted to suspend police operations in the town of 1,700 at the end of shift on Friday.
 
That's when Police Chief Michael Williams will retire after 40 years on the force, the last 21 as chief. 
 
Officials have been debating for weeks about the future of the Police Department, which has declined at this point to Williams and a single part-time officer. 
 
"I think we have to transition to State Police," said board member Colton Andrews. 
 
Fellow member Daniel Haskins agreed: "I don't see any alternatives at the moment."
 
Officials had researched several options: hire a new chief, contract with North Adams, or depend on State Police, as do a number of other small towns. 
 
"North Adams was not feasible," said Chair Robert Norcross. 
 
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